After a summer spent in a haunted castle—a summer in which she traveled through time to solve a murder mystery—Kat is looking forward to a totally normal senior year at McTernan Academy. Then the ghost of a little girl appears and begs Kat for help, and more unquiet apparitions follow. All of them are terrified by the Dark One, and it soon becomes clear that that this evil force wants Kat dead.

Searching for help, Kat leaves school for the ancestral home she’s only just discovered. Her friend Evan, whose family is joined to her own by an arcane history, accompanies her. With the assistance of her eccentric great aunts and a loyal family ghost, Kat soon learns that she and Evan can only fix the present by traveling into the past.

As Kat and Evan make their way through nineteenth-century Vienna, the Dark One stalks them, and Kat must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save a ghost.

Excerpt

“I can’t help you now,” I said to the ghost beside my desk. I tucked my blond hair behind my ear and pushed my tortoiseshell glasses higher on my nose.

He remained there in his high-waisted, dark gray suit and fedora hat. Definitely circa the 1920s. He folded his arms and leaned against my desk, the picture of patience. “I can wait.”

I looked out the window in front of me. On the sidewalk below, parents helped my classmates lug their belongings into the dorm. Today was the start of my senior year at McTernan Academy. And a return to normal.

But this was the third ghost to visit my dorm for his reckoning, that one final piece of business they had to complete before they could move on.

Not believing in ghosts had kept them away for years until this summer, when I was forced to confront some incredible unbelievables—ghosts, spells, curses, and time travel. I couldn’t pretend to not believe anymore, so, since then, ghosts kept appearing and asking for my help. I wanted to help them. I truly did.

But it was exhausting. Every time a ghost appeared, it stole energy from the living. And I was always the nearest living person. I scarfed down junk food and sugary snacks to keep my energy up. It wasn’t enough. At seventeen, I had regressed to daily naps.

I’d spent most of August trying to get ahead of their reckonings before the school year started. I really thought it was possible. For a while, it even distracted me from my own issues; but senior year was starting, and the ghosts were becoming a serious problem.

I took a bite of my Twix and tried to reason with the ghost. “Someone might see you in my dorm. Can you all form a line and meet me in the park on Saturdays?” I could devote my Saturdays to the ghosts, just not my every day.

He glanced back over his shoulder and smiled like he saw something I didn’t. “We’ve been in line for years.”

A dull pounding started in the base of my skull. “I can’t keep up this pace.” My voice thinned the way a plastic bag does when you put too much in it.

His smile flickered. “But we need your help.”

“And there’s no one else?” I wasn’t the only person who saw ghosts. There were other believers out there. Some of them were my friends.

“No one quite like you.”

Sometimes I really wished I were mediocre. Being special meant that the ghosts were going to take over my life again. I couldn’t let that happen. Luckily, ghosts from his era were polite. He’d introduced himself when he arrived and that gave me the power to send him away. “Gilbert Wells, go away.”

He frowned and faded into a shimmer of dust that disappeared into a shadow.

It was the best I could do.

I got up and a wave of dizziness made me stumble. I needed to rest for a bit. I sat on my bright blue comforter, laid my head on my pillow, and was asleep in seconds.

K.C. Tansley lives with her warrior lapdog, Emerson, and two quirky golden retrievers on a hill somewhere in Connecticut. She tends to believe in the unbelievables—spells, ghosts, time travel—and writes about them.

Never one to say no to a road trip, she’s climbed the Great Wall twice, hopped on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, and danced the night away in the dunes of Cape Hatteras. She loves the ocean and hates the sun, which makes for interesting beach days. The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is her award-winning and bestselling first novel in The Unbelievables series.

As Kourtney Heintz, she also writes award winning cross-genre fiction for adults.

It’s the year 2330. At the end of the twenty-second century, the human
race has divided into two distinct groups—purebloods and the
‘modded’. Those who are unfortunate enough to be genetically
modified are now nothing but servants for their pureblooded
masters.

Living in this time, you know your place, and you do not cross the line. So,
when a violent death occurs in the Bronze District, Annalise is
ordered to take this as her trial run at Divinity PD to prove that
she can do the job as a member of the Human Possession
Department.

To defy her father’s wish to marry her off, and keep her Chief happy,
she is determined to solve this murder by any means necessary—even
if it means going to districts she has only read about in textbooks
and fighting her forbidden feelings for her servant.

With internal battles, dirty politics, and sinister secrets, just how
exactly will Annalise solve her Case: 0? And more importantly, will
she live to see her next one?

It’s official, Devlin is Annalise’s new partner. He’s charming,
caring—a perfect gentleman who caters to her every need. That is
until he starts to mix work with pleasure to convince her to marry
him as per agreement with her father.

With her servant, Mavel, gone from her side, the cracks in the wall she
created around her begin to come undone. To take her mind off the
torment her heart is going through, she takes on another possession
case in her old school, Montgomery Institute. But, what starts off as
a simple case full of bad memories twists into a web of deception and
lies involving everyone she cares about.

“Chief, is this some kind of a joke?” Annalise demanded, turning red with anger. “He can’t become my partner. He works for Falcon!”
Chief Sunderland reclined in his seat and released a heavy sigh. “Mr Madoc has a great track record in solving cases. You can take this offer or leave it. Remember, Storm, you can’t work without a partner.”
Devlin—the man she thought was killed during their escape from the Falcon facility in the Silver District—stood next to her with a beautiful smile on his face. He remained the same, strikingly handsome with majestic blue eyes that could keep any man or woman tethered on a spot for hours. She scanned his pristine charcoal suit, taking in his strong, broad shoulders and slim waistline. If she did follow her father’s wishes, she would be engaged to him and planning their wedding. She pushed the thought aside. He is part of the reason why Mavel is on the run.
“After what happened, I’ve been demoted,” Devlin explained.
“I chose this department because there was an opening.”
She scowled at him. “Do you expect me to believe that?”
“Believe what you will, Annalise. Falcon has no use for people who help prisoners escape,” Devlin added.
That left her speechless. He did help them get out with their lives. After that, Rios and Jamen were given the location of the facility by Mavel. They raided the place, but everything was gone. There wasn’t a smidgen of DNA that indicated anyone had occupied the damn building. With that hiccup, she was made to look like a fool, and the physical damage she took pushed more suspicion onto Mavel over the past three weeks. She had heard the rumours whispered behind her back. People started believing that Mavel hurt her, and she was trying to cover it up by shifting the blame. Lowering her head, she looked at the ground. Mavel was no longer her beast. The moment he wrote that letter, he had severed ties with her. Even though it was only yesterday that she had read it, it felt like a thousand years had passed.
“So, what’s your decision? Are you going to accept him as your partner?” Chief asked, pushing a digital tablet across the table towards her.
“I need an answer, Storm, because I have a case ready if you do.” Sparing one last glance at Devlin, she grabbed the tablet.
“What is it?” Chief smirked.
“We received a report this morning. A possessed basilisk was trying to attack one of the security officers at the Montgomery Institute for young girls. I chose you for this case as it’s a school listed in your file. It should be easier for you to investigate.”
Annalise cringed at the memory of the school she had spent most of her childhood and teenage years attending. The relentless ass-kissing she received from her teachers drove her mad. Each one wanted her to put in a good word with her father. She was planning to do that until the day she overheard her Physics and Mathematics teachers talking about her in the courtyard. She was nothing more than a pawn to them in the progression of their careers. Ever since, she avoided making any friends at school and spent most of her time with Mavel.
“Storm? For God’s sake, say something,” Chief huffed, smacking his palm on his desk to draw her attention. Her head snapped up, and she forced a smile.
“I’ll take the case, sir.”
“And him?” Chief nodded to Devlin who raised a brow when she glanced his way.
“I’ll take him as my partner as well, temporarily. In the meantime, I’m going to search for a new servant.” Devlin offered her his hand.
“It will be a pleasure to work with you.”
She shook his hand, feeling a light electrical current brushing her skin when they touched. Jerking her hand away, she marched out of the Chief’s office. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea. While they worked together, she could press him to talk about the Falcon Group and find out more about them and how they operated. This could be an opportunity, and she had to take it. After all, he was only one man—a man who occasionally made her heart race.

May Freighter is an internationally bestselling author from Dublin,
Ireland. She writes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Sci-Fi
mysteries that will keep you entertained, mystified, and hopefully
craving more. Her only pets are cacti. They’re the only things that
survived. It may be too dangerous to entrust her with an animal while
she’s engrossed in writing.

On sunny, rainy, and overcast days, she spends her time with her
fictional friends, putting them through dangerous adventures while
wishing them the best of luck. Her hobbies are photography, drawing,
and plotting different ways of a characters’ demise.

A rich, politically connected CEO dies in his private dungeon on a
foggy San Fran night–beaten and castrated by a mysterious sex worker
he hired. Detective Kate Dawson and her partner are assigned the
case. Their only lead is a provocative email from “Crystal Rose”
and an IP address at the University of San Francisco.

Before long, Kate’s on the trail of a serial killer who uses the seedy
underworld of porn shops, Internet sex sites, and S&M clubs to
target victims. She knows the only way to catch the killer is to
become part of that world.

John Flynn is the Hugo-nominated author of multiple non-fiction titles
including Cinematic Vampires: The Living Dead on Film and War of the
Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg.

In 1997, John switched gears from writing and literature to study
psychology, and earned a degree as a clinical psychologist. Today,
John lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and is a dean at Broward
College. Intimate Bondage is his first published novel in the Kate
Dawson series.

Inspector Kate Dawson is called to investigate a mass murder; a call that will
change her life, and possibly the whole world—forever.

Certain parents have been directed to put their children to death. They
believe they are the Chosen Ones, destined by God to inherit the
Earth. The charismatic leader of End Times Ministries, whose grand
plan includes stoking the fires of Armageddon, has ordered
parishioners to close ranks and prepare for a holy war.

Kate Dawson knows this is not God’s will, but that of a dangerous,
diabolical mind that controls the lives of his people. “They plan
to start a war!”

“Nearly a million people live in the San Francisco Bay area,” Senator
Santiago said.

“That’s a lot of lives that would be lost, but nowhere near the hundreds of
millions of lives lost in a global war, and the starvation, and
sickness, and disease that follows.”

Katewould have been the first one to confess that she didn’t know a
whole lot about politics and religion—but she did know there was a
group of fanatics out there who were determined to move the hands of
the clock closer to midnight, and it was her duty to stop them.

Murder on Air Force One When Inspector Kate Dawson is called in the wee
hours of the morning, little did she know what would be waiting for
her on the tarmac of San Francisco International Airport. Air Force
One has landed with a corpse in the lavatory—Madame President and
the First Man were on board with a slew of reporters and other
presidential personnel. It seems someone enjoyed kinky foreplay, like
having their oxygen supply limited, a gasper. It just went too far…or
did someone else take advantage and finish her off? International
politics, conspiracies, affairs, cover-ups, and all involving the
First Family…

COMING SOON!

Terror at G-20

Kate Dawson Thrillers #4

Terror at G-20 (Fall 2017) by John L. Flynn is the fourth book in The
Kate Dawson Thrillers. Someone has a fetish for the Asian sex
trade… From what begins as the simple murder of a sex worker,
Inspector Kate Dawson follows the clues to human trafficking and
ultimately the Asian sex trade. Then, as the date of the G-20 Summit
in San Francisco draws closer, Dawson struggles to connect the lives
of five Asian women, who have presumably disappeared in Chinatown,
with that of a mad North Korean Generals master plan of bringing
about economic chaos in the West and his nuclear submarine playing
hide-and-go-seek with fishermen in the Bay. As world leaders and
economists converge on the annual summit, Dawson must prevent terror
from breaking out at the G-20.

Dr. John L. Flynnis a three-time Hugo-nominated author, psychologist, and college dean. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from the University of South Florida and a Ph.D. from Southern California University. He is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and he has written sixteen books, many short stories, articles, reviews, and two screenplays. In 1977, he received the M. Carolyn Parker award for outstanding freelance writing, and has been a regular contributor and columnist to dozens of science fiction magazines, including Starlog, Not of This Earth, Sci-Fi Universe, Cinescape, Retrovision, Media History Digest, SFTV, SF Movieland, Monsterland, Enterprise, Nexxus, The Annapolis Review, and Collector’s Corner. He sold his first book,Future Threads, in 1985. He has subsequently had ten other books published about film, including Cinematic Vampires(1992), Phantoms of the Opera(1993), The Films of Arnold Schwarzenegger(1993), Dissecting Aliens(1995), War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg(2005), Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films(2006) (with Bob Blackwood), 75 Years of Universal Monsters(2006), 50 Years of Hammer Horror(2006),101 Superheroes of the Silver Screen(2007), and 2001: Beyond the Infinite(2008). Brickhouse Books published Visions in Light and Shadow, a collection of John’s short stories, in 2001, and Galactic Books published his first novel, The Jovian Dilemma, in 2006. His first screenplay, which is based on The Jovian Dilemma, was a finalist in the 2003 Screenplay Festival, and was optioned for a brief time by a New York-based production company. His most recent screenplay is the erotic thriller Intimate Bondage, which John has developed into the novelpublished by BelleBridge Books. He has since written two follow-up books in the Kate Dawson thriller series, including Architects of Armageddon, published by W & B Publishers in 2017.

From a very early age, John demonstrated a keen interest in movies and science fiction. He made his first single-reel films with a Super-8mm camera; of course, he also designed all the sets, made all the costumes, and wrote all the scripts. When he went to college at age 17, he studied writing and theater. John received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of South Florida and Ph.D. from Southern California University. In 1979, he directed his first stage play, Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple,” for the Patapsco Players. One year later, he not only directed but also designed the set and costumes for Stephen Sondheim’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” for a local community theater. His set and costume designs were singled out for recognition by the local media, and earned him notoriety as a theatrical designer. From 1980 to 1987, he honed his skills as a costume designer, and after winning numerous national and international competitions, he earned the title of Master Costumer.

In 1995, John switched gears to study psychology, and earned a degree as a clinical psychologist. His study, The Etiology of Sexual Addiction: Childhood Trauma as a Primary Determinant (1997), has broken new ground in the diagnosis and treatment of sexual addiction.

He returned to professional writing in 1992, and earned the first of his three Hugo Award nominations, ten years later, in 2002. The prestigious Hugo Award is the Science Fiction Achievement Award which is given for excellence in the field of science fiction writing and the arts. Dr. Flynn received two additional Hugo nominations in 2003 and 2004. His notoriety in the field of science fiction has provided John with many wonderful opportunities. He has appeared on television (including the Sci-Fi Channel and Russia’s RTR Television), was featured in the documentary “Finding the Future” (2004), has spoken on the radio, and been a guest at national conferences. With fellow author and academic Bob Blackwood, he founded The Film Doctorsin 2004. The Film Doctors are academics who promote science fiction films in mainstream popular culture. Their first collaboration produced Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films” (2006). Today, Dr. Flynn makes his home in Lake Worth, Florida. He also labors to promote the work of new and emerging science fiction writers through L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future contest.

To come to terms with his recent divorce, Martin, an attorney in Berlin,
plans a peaceful vacation – two weeks in a Swedish summer house
seem to be the solution. It won’t be peaceful, however, and those
two weeks will change his life forever. He takes a liking to Liv, a
Swedish woman whom he meets in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, they
don’t get to have their first date – Liv disappears under
mysterious circumstances. Martin begins his search but soon realizes
he can’t find Liv in a foreign country by himself. He hires two
private investigators, and their discoveries make everything seem
even stranger.

The complexities in this suspenseful criminal case lead to a hunt across
Sweden. Martin comes close to finding answers, but his search lands
him in very real danger, eventually leading to the first deaths. Soon
he‘s wondering if he can get Liv and himself out of this situation
alive.

The author grew up in the North of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein. Today, he
lives together with his family in Stockholm, Sweden, where he works
as management consultant.

Already for ages he has been a great fan of crime stories and therefore, had
the desire to write his own crime story with the characters acting in
Sweden. This crime-fiction is now available under the title
“Vanished?”.

The crime novel starts at a slower pace – like Martin’s holidays, but the
tension goes up more and more. It comes to a number of surprising
turns giving new impulses to the story. Apart from that, the lovely
country Sweden is described with the view of a foreigner.

A young woman has been murdered at the Savannah Rapids Pavilion and Lieutenant Jim DeLong realizes at first sight this case will be the most difficult one of his career. DeLong is immediately swept into the memories of his childhood and dark secrets he’s longed to forget.

The victim is his sister-in-law, and old thoughts he’s fought to delete will be resurrected whether DeLong likes it or not. He and his brother have been estranged by unhappy times in their youth. With no clear motive, DeLong questions his ability to remain objective.

DeLong closed the garage door and went inside the house. He heard soft murmurs floating from the living room. He knew his six-year-old daughter, Bella, was in school, so he guessed Samantha was probably watching television. DeLong was glad to be with his wife, even for just a few minutes. After coming onto the scene and seeing his brother’s wife, he just wanted to hold on to Samantha and never let her go. It was nothing but a harsh reminder that in the blink of an eye, everything can go wrong. The memory of Bree was etched in his mind and continued to haunt him. Seeing her in the water left him feeling empty.

Samantha liked to tell him that everything happened for a reason. But there was no reason for women like Bree DeLong to be murdered. She was a kind-hearted young woman who wanted nothing more than to help those less fortunate—particularly children.

“Honey, I’m home,” DeLong called out. Draping his jacket on the back of the kitchen chair, he let out a long yawn. His eyes felt heavy, and his stomach rumbled. But despite his hunger, he didn’t feel much like eating. He would opt for a quick nap, but he wasn’t sure that would happen either.

“Jim, we’re in here, honey.”

We?

Was someone here?

Remembering the urgency in Samantha’s text resulted in his stomach churning. DeLong grabbed a Coke can from the refrigerator and stepped into the living room.
Though deep down it didn’t come to a surprise to him, DeLong almost dropped the can when he saw his brother sitting on the couch next to his wife.

“Sully.” He blinked a few times as if he were trying to stop imagining things. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry to come here like this.” Sullivan glanced over at Samantha, then back at DeLong. He looked as though he wanted to say something and then shook his head. Sullivan pushed to his feet. “Sorry, Sam, I can’t do this. I really should go.”

Samantha put a hand on his wrist to keep him from moving away.
“You’re always welcome here, Sully. Right, Jim?” She shot her husband a look of warning.

“Of course,” he stammered.

Samantha pulled Sullivan back to the cushions. DeLong studied his older brother for a good five minutes, taking in every sadness, every anger. He seemed to have aged a few more years since DeLong had seen him at the morgue. His eyes were hollow, and he looked as though he hadn’t slept for a week. He wanted to say something consoling to him, but what could he say? There were no words to ease someone in this time of grief. If there were, he wasn’t aware of them.

“How are you doing?” He sat on the edge of the coffee table. Sullivan only shook his head. His eyes began to water, a single tear sliding down the corner of his eye. He bounced his knees and set his head in his hands.

“I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” Sullivan mumbled. “Ally’s in school. I-I went there to tell her what happened, but I just couldn’t.”
“We’ll figure this out. It’ll be OK.” DeLong cleared his throat, pressed his fingertips to his eyelids, and then leaned in toward his brother. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell me everything you know? Start from the last time you spoke to or saw Bree. What she was doing, where she went, who she spoke to…don’t leave anything out.”

Sullivan looked at DeLong, then Samantha and back again. “The last time we spoke was yesterday morning. I think around six or so. It was before she took Ally to school.”

“How did she seem?” DeLong asked.

Sullivan shrugged. “Normal.”

“Do you know what her plan for the day was?”

“I think she was going to that center she runs—Protecting the Lord’s Children. After that…” Sullivan trailed off. He seemed to be thinking about what he wanted to say next. Finally, he replied, “After that, she was supposed to go home.”

“But she didn’t go home?” DeLong pressed.

“I don’t know. I went fishing with an old friend.”

“From what time to what time?”

Sullivan narrowed his eyes at DeLong. “What does that matter?”

“I need to build a timeline,” DeLong explained. “That’s all.”

Sullivan squared his jaw, reminding DeLong of how their father always looked when he was forcing himself to remain calm.

“Ten that morning to five in the evening. We went to Clarks Hill Lake.”

“What’s your friend’s name?”

“James Simmons. We used to work together.”

“Where did you go after fishing?” DeLong asked slowly. He motioned for Samantha to hand him a pad from the end table. He began writing the information down.

“Are you implying that I killed her?” Sullivan snapped. DeLong looked up to see the hot anger flash in Sullivan’s eyes. He opened his mouth to say something else, but before he did, DeLong held up his palm. He was used to spouses getting flustered by the police as they attempted to weed out suspects. His brother was no different.

“I have to ask these questions, Sully.”

“I wouldn’t hurt her. I loved my wife. We had a good marriage. I can’t…I can’t believe you’d actually think I’d….” Sullivan trailed off and rose to pace the room.

DeLong remained silent, watching. Samantha glared at him. DeLong shook his head slightly to warn her to stay out of it.

“We were happy,” Sullivan continued tautly. “She didn’t leave me, and she wasn’t having any kind of affair. We were happy.”

“Good. Did she have any friends that wanted something more from her? Something she wasn’t willing to give him?”

Sullivan shook his head with conviction. “No. I mean, everybody loved her. You know that. That goes without saying. People loved her, but not in any romantic sense.”

“Did she seem upset at all? Like she was worried about something?”

“No. I mean, I don’t think so.”

“And you? Is everything good with you? You don’t have anything to worry about? Anything that’s upsetting you?”

DeLong watched as his brother gazed at him. It looked as though he wanted to say something, but couldn’t decide what it would be. Finally, he put his head in his hands, sighed and looked back at DeLong.

“Why don’t you go ahead and say it, Jim.”

“What are you talking about? I need to ask you these questions. I’m just covering all the bases, Sully.”

“These questions are pointless!” Sullivan sliced his hands in the air. “How is whatever it was I did going to help find my wife’s killer?”

“Why don’t you just answer my questions, Sullivan? Let me do my job.” The words come out gruffer than he intended, which resulted in his wife hissing his name.

Sullivan gaped at his brother, frowning, arms tightly crossed against his chest. Finally, he shook his head in agitation.

“No. I was wrong to come here. What was I thinking? I mean, I need someone capable enough to find out who murdered my wife.” A mixture of undeniable anger and pain flashed in Sullivan’s eyes. “I need someone that I can trust.”

Where to Buy

Other Books in the Series

Equipped with a professional writing degree from Augusta State University, Angela Kay is a southern lady who spends her days and nights dreaming up new ways to solve dark murders of normal people.

Angela Kay was one of 23 across the United States to win a 2009 playwright contest for her one-act entitled “Digging Deeper.” Because of this, she was able to spend a week in Atlanta at the Horizon Theater Company.

A murder at one of the world’s busiest airports opens this simmering crime story where a good man’s loyalty is tested to its limits. Michael Kieh is a full-time faith representative serving the needs of some of the 80 million passengers, but circumstance and evidence point to his guilt. His struggle to prove his innocence leads him on a charged journey that pitches love against revenge.

Michael’s loneliness was eased by a series of brief encounters with a soul mate. When she confides a dark secret, he is motivated to redress a heart-breaking injustice. Together they must battle against powerful forces as they edge dangerously close to unmasking a past crime. But Michael faces defeat when he chooses to protect a young witness, leaving him a burning spirit in the darkness.

Michael’s commitment to helping those in need was forged in the brutality of the Liberian civil war. Protected by a kind guardian, he too was a young witness to an atrocity that has left a haunting legacy of stolen justice and a lingering need for revenge. More poignantly there is a first love cruelly left behind in Africa because of the impossible choices of war. When Michael and his former lover find each other once again they become formidable allies in proving his innocence and rediscovering their lost love.

The writing is such that the reader is gripped immediately, and swept into a plot that packs intelligent themes and emotional depth into a twisting, page turning read. – The Book Bag

…plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked until the very last page, A Burning in the Darkness will prove to be difficult to put down. – Bestsellersworld

London

Young Foday Jenkins spied a curious sign at the far end of the concourse. The seven-year old weaved his way through the hurrying travellers with their trolley-loads of suitcases.
There were airline pilots and cabin crew walking briskly towards their international flights and armed police strolling like fortress watch guards. A rainbow glistened in the eastern sky beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, watched in wonder by the frustrated passengers whose flights had been delayed by the ferocious summer storm. A charcoal wash of lightning-filled rain clouds shrouded the distant city outline.

Foday arrived at the sign. It was a matchstick man or woman kneeling, praying.
Beneath it, there was an entrance of two heavily frosted glass doors. He pushed them open and stepped inside. When the doors closed behind him there was a nice silence. He was in a room, maybe twice the size of his classroom, but it seemed so much bigger because there were sacred symbols from all over the world and holy words on the walls and little statues, and it wasn’t brightly lit in here like outside, yet it wasn’t so dim that it was scary. The duskiness made you look. There was a lovely smell in the air, the scent of a far away country.

There was a row of electric burning candles that could be switched on for a handful
of coins. There were six happy photographs of teenagers from all over the world tacked to the wall above the electric candles. One of the happy faces looked like his older sister
Ameyo. She smiled that way. Uh-me-yo. This is how Mummy said it. There were
handwritten notes stuck around the photographs with words like Please remember. Foday wondered if the person who wrote one of them had been crying because the ink was smudged.

On a cloth-covered table, there was a visitor’s book. Foday wrote his name and
address: Foday, 19 Bletchley Avenue, London NW22, UK, Europe, The World. He added I
really like this place.
Over on the other side of the church, tucked around a corner, there was a wooden
playhouse. A sign outside the door read: If you want a priest to hear your confession, press the button.

Foday turned nervously when he heard the loud sounds of the bustling concourse as
the church doors opened. He could see a silhouetted figure against the gleaming frosted
glass. The figure focused into a heavy man walking down between the seats. He stopped,
agitated and sweating.
‘Are you lost?’ the man asked.
Foday knew he shouldn’t talk to strangers.
‘Where’s your mummy or daddy? Are they with the priest? Are you alone?’ he asked
crossly.
Foday pressed the button requesting a priest to take confession.

Alma Harper has been trying to forget what happened in Widowsfield 16 years ago. She has a good life as a music teacher now and might rekindle her relationship with her one true love. However, the number 314 haunts her and threatens to bring her back to the day that her brother disappeared. When a reporter shows up, just days before March 14th, Alma realizes that her past is coming back to haunt her. What happened on March 14th, at 3:14, 16 years ago? No one but The Skeleton Man can remember.

My Rating

My Review

This is one of my favourite books. I keep coming back to this. Finally, I think this needs a proper review.

314. The number of Pi for most.
But for Alma Harper, 314 is entirely different. 314 is the date and time when her life changed. However, she can’t remember what happened, especially what happened to her brother. The only person who knows is “The Skeleton Man”.

This had to be one of the most descriptive and shocking prologues I have ever read. It was one of the things that truly pulled me into the book immediately. All I could think was “holy crap! This is amazing”.

The children in this, oh my goodness. Think along the lines of creepy Gage from Stephen King’s Pet Sematary and the childlike innocence with the pure homicidal hatred. It’s entirely terrifying.

If you are not a fan of gruesome horror, I don’t recommend this novel but if you like gore and shocking writing that pulls you in, throws you around and spits you back out, I definitely recommend this. You will totally enjoy it.

Excerpt

Jeremy held a straight razor to his own throat.
“Buddy, put that down.” Mark took a tentative step, like a cop approaching a suicidal man.
Jeremy looked at the blade and smiled. “This isn’t for me, Dad. It’s for you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Skeleton Man’s here and he taught me how to hate.”
“Put the razor down, Jeremy.” Mark’s authoritative tone was beleaguered by fear.
The razor reflected green light from a nearby window. “We’re going to try something new this time. The Skeleton Man remembered something that he wants to try on you.” Jeremy giggled as if talking about something cute a puppy had done. “He’s so excited. He doesn’t want to hurt me, but if you take another step then we won’t have a choice. He’ll slit my throat just to watch you cry.”

A.R. Wise was born in Indiana and has lived in Florida, Texas, and now Colorado. He is married to an unreasonably understanding and beautiful wife and has two wonderful little girls.

He has been writing since he was young, but the daunting task of facing rejection after rejection in the traditional publishing world always kept him from pursuing his passion. The new eBook revolution has given him a chance to put his work out there for everyone to enjoy, and he has been shocked at the reception it’s received!

A.R. Wise’s series of zombie fiction, Deadlocked, has enjoyed massive success on Amazon. Five Star reviews continue to pour in and the success has encouraged him to continue to write. If you enjoy his work, you have the eBook revolution to thank for it!

Even Halos Can Be Crooked is the first book in a brand new series created by L. M. Schukraft. This novel is an unconventional, contemporary paranormal romance mystery. Combining fantasy with reality, L. M. Schukraft takes the reader on an adventure as her main character, Autumn, wakes up from a near death experience to discover Angels are real. Devils and Demons do exist. And her halo is crooked!

Autumn faces demons, scary Cerberus descendants bred in hell, Fallen Angels and devils as she tries to straighten out her halo. The Heavens themselves have tasked her with saving another Crooked Halos soul. Autumn doesn’t have a clue how she’s supposed to do this and is thankful for the help she has along the way.

L.M. Schukraft is a long time writer, first-time novelist, and passive blogger.

Be sure to visit my blog or Facebook page often, since I will be posting short stories related to The Crooked Halo stories as well as news and information on upcoming releases.

I love dancing, almost anything mint flavored, and spending time with my son. I follow the twin Gemini characteristics by being a contrast of a home body and wanting to go out and have fun. Staying at home, reading a book for hours is definitely something I look forward to after a long day. Now, I’m trying to balance writing the next novel and taking care of my son, along with everyday life basics.

I’m a picky reader. I’ve got a few authors I follow and read regularly. At one point, I was reading 35 different book series. If you’re looking for suggestions of great romances, paranormals, fantasies, mysteries, or books that include all of those, I’m happy to share recommendations. Plus, check out my novel!

The Lazarus Succession takes readers to the ancient scene of Christ’s greatest miracle, to medieval Spain, and back to modern-day Europe. In typical Ken Fry style, nothing is as it seems and a surprise awaits at every turn of the page.

According to legend, Annas Zevi, an artist who witnessed the raising of Lazarus, was told by Christ to paint what he saw. Over the centuries, his completed works has vanished, along with every other painting depicting Lazarus’ resurrection. They were rumoured to be sacred icons with miraculous powers.

International Art Recovery Experts, Broderick Ladro and Ulla Stuart, are hired by a disgraced High Court judge, Sir Maxwell Throgmorton, to locate a long lost medieval painting by Spanish artist Francisco Cortez. Like Zevi, his work is said to be divinely inspired.

Throgmorton’s client, a wealthy Spanish Condesa, is terminally ill and the icon is her last hope. She will pay and do whatever it takes to find the missing work of Cortez.

Unbeknown to the Condesa, Throgmorton seeks to make a vast personal fortune from the discovery of the paintings, and use it to reclaim his place in society.

Ladro and Stuart learns of Throgmorton’s deceit and attempts to thwart his plans. As they delve deeper into the mystery of the missing Cortez painting, they discover a secret that changes their lives forever.

Just as it changed the lives of everyone it touched across the centuries.

✚ Praise for The Lazarus Succession ✚

“…the supernatural elements, and their effect on the characters, are pure genius. Even an old cynic like me was entranced. The addition of a little historical flavour, in the shape of frequent glances into a beautifully depicted medieval Spain, gives the novel context, and a timeless magic I found addictive.This is polished fiction of the highest calibre, and I’m more than happy to award 5 stars.” – Stuart Kenyon, author

“…this is an excellent novel with many twists and turns, the pacing is perfection, the characters are wonderful and the ending couldn’t be better. If you want a riveting tale that will hold you in thrall from the first page to the last, then this is your book.” – Carol Marrs Phipps, author

“The Lazarus Succession has a great historical and religious foundation combined with a dynamic plot, twists, and turns. Ken Fry knows how to keep the reader’s attention and trigger their emotional response.” – Lilah E. Noir, author

Where to Buy

With the success of his UK Top 10 best-selling religious mystery, The Lazarus Succession, Ken Fry once again crafts a cunning and explosive historical thriller unlike any you’ve read before.

Tel Aviv, Israel. Archaeologist Joshua Agar makes a stunning discovery when on one of his excavation sites, they unearth an ancient ossuary, untouched since the day it was buried. Evidence and analysis reveals that the contents of the find appear to be the six of the Seven Seals mentioned in the Bible’s Book of Revelation.

The Seventh is missing.

Meanwhile, a mysterious man has been walking the Earth for millennia. He waits… amassing knowledge and power, seeking to bring about the one event that would release him from his endless existence. With the discovery in Tel Aviv, his waiting might soon be over.

Joshua Agar and his team, Professor Simon Rockwell and Dr. Rachel Carver soon realises the significance of their find. An ancient society known as The Keepers awakens, and they are after the Seven Seals. For it has been told, that whosoever breaks the seven seals will have unimaginable power and control over the new world promised through the Second Coming of Christ.

The frantic hunt for the Seventh Seal begins. Through dusty caves, ancient churches, and even within the most secretive vault on earth, they search for clues to the possible resting place of the missing seal.

The archaeologists are not alone. Another ancient secret brotherhood called the Guardians have long protected the Seven Seals, since the time John of Patmos entrusted to them the Seventh. Using their resources, they attempt to discover the identity of The Grand Keeper and impede his plans for global upheaval.

As scientists, the archaeologists perceive their discovery as a historical relic and not a religious find. But with the forces aroused by the unearthing of the artefact, they start to question if there is indeed truth in the story.

The Patmos Enigma will take you on a journey of wonders and thrills as it hurtles from dark truths to enlightening revelations as the war between science and mysticism commences.

Where to Buy

Amazon bestselling author, Ken Fry, holds a university Master’s Degree in Literature and has extensively travelled around the world. The places and events are reflected in his stories and most of his tales are based on his own experiences.

He was a former publisher before deciding to retire and devote his full time to writing. He now lives in the UK and shares his home with ‘Dickens’ his Shetland Sheepdog.

Fry has published 7 suspense thrillers with more to be released in 2017. Red Ground, The Lazarus Succession, Suicide Seeds, The Brodsky Affair, Dying Days, and 2 short stories, Check Mate and Is That You, Jim?

After finding his family murdered, Matthew Burke is arrested and sentenced to life in prison. The next day he is mysteriously released and given a briefcase of money. Needing answers, Matthew finds a pile of old documents in his house and discovers his wife was once part of an organization called D.R.E.X, who were responsible for hunting and killing supernatural creatures. Even though D.R.E.X had been shut down for years, his wife was murdered just after she tried to reach them. Matthew reluctantly joins with the remnants of her old organization and investigates a new problem arising in France. But the more he discovers, the more he realizes how few people he can trust….

Interview

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

First of all, thank you very much for the opportunity to be in the author spotlight. I am a Canadian author living on Vancouver Island. In my spare time, I also review horror booksand produce short films with my husband.

What inspired you to write?

My mother was a writer, so it ran in the family, the main difference being that she wrote non-fiction and I wrote fiction. I have been trying to write books ever since I was a kid in class. It didn’t lead to them being published, but it was great practice.

What inspired your novel?

That’s a tough one to answer. In the end, it was a bunch of little ideas that came together. I am a huge fan of both spy and horror genres. It seemed natural to bring them together.

What is the genre?

D.R.E.X Blackout is primarily horror with military action and a dash of mystery thrown in as well.

What draws you to this genre?

A couple of things. For me, horror is more liberating than other genres. The main characters are under no obligation to survive in the book or have a happy ending, which gives me a bit more freedom to work with. At the same time, it is a very easy genre to write in. In fantasy, for example, you normally have to create a great deal of world-building and establish quite a few things before you can write about the actual characters. Horror usually takes place in a very real-world setting, where many things have already been established. And in the end, I simply love horror.

How did you develop your plot and your characters?

Some writers spend a considerable amount of time drafting out an outline for a book. Usually, I have a rough idea of what the main idea is, and what drives each character. I then usually write my favorite scene in the book, and the ideas naturally flow after that.

What inspired your protagonist?

Matthew Burke is a man who has lost everything. His wife and child have been murdered, and he is arrested for their murder. The next day, he is mysteriously released and given a briefcase full of money. Finding answers is what leads him to D.R.E.X.

What inspired your antagonist?

The antagonist, Father Jacobs, is a priest who has lost faith in himself and God. He is simply going through the motions rather than be passionate about anything. When a stranger offers him genuine power, he decides to see where it takes him.

What was the hardest part to write in the book?

Anything that is focused on action is a bit of a challenge for me to write. Since the ending is very action-heavy, that was the last part for me to finish.

What was your favourite part of your book to write?

There is a significant scene where the team arrives at a town and the people inexplicably try to kill them or commit suicide. It also introduces two important characters and overall was a great deal of fun to write.

Are you a full time or a part time writer? If part time, what do you do besides write?

Unfortunately, I have met very few writers who can successfully write full-time and make ends meet. I myself am a part-time author. My 9-5 job is working in the administrative world providing sales support. In my spare time, however, I also like to produce films with my husband, review books, and learn how to design video games. We always have something to do.

What are you currently reading?

Currently, I run a book review site at http://www.blackhavenreviews.com. At the time of this interview, I am reading the House that Death Built by Michaelbrent Collings. However, I typically read a few books a month.

Who would you say are your favourite authors?

Stephen King is without a doubt my favorite inspiration. I know it’s a bit obvious, but a horror author who is known throughout the world and has several movies after his work is definitely something to aspire to.

How about your favourite books? What would be your top 5?

I grew up reading J.R.R Tolkien and a Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. I also love reading anything by Stephen King and my blog has given me an opportunity to read many diverse horror stories. So far my favorite is Massacre of the Mermaids by A.Manzetti.

What are your future projects, if any?

At the moment I have two novellas which are out for consideration with publishers, and I have quite a few book ideas and short stories on the brain. Please check out my facebook for my latest updates. I promise don’t bite… 🙂

What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you and your books?

Be prepared to work hard. Even after you are published, there is still a lot of work goes into editing, marketing, etc. Be sure to also look closely at your contract as well. Being published is a wonderful feeling, but you don’t want to sign away all of your rights at the same time.